Best Tent Camping near Whitney, TX

Several tent camping options surround Lake Whitney, approximately 75 miles southwest of Dallas. Cedar Creek Park Campground offers tent-friendly sites with picnic tables and water access on the shores of Lake Whitney. De Cordova Bend provides primitive tent camping along the Brazos River with sites that accommodate walk-in tent camping and limited amenities.

Most tent sites at Cedar Creek Park include covered picnic tables, fire rings, and access to vault toilets. The campsites are situated on a combination of grassy clearings and shaded areas under mature oak trees. Drinking water is available at Cedar Creek, but De Cordova Bend lacks this amenity, requiring campers to bring their own supply. Both locations offer primitive camping experiences with minimal facilities. Seasonal considerations include summer heat, which can make exposed tent sites uncomfortable without proper shade structures. Fire restrictions may apply during dry periods.

Walk-in tent sites provide a more secluded experience away from vehicle traffic. Sites at Cedar Creek are described as "spaced out" and "quiet" with many positioned near the water's edge. The lake features a clean, rocky bottom ideal for swimming. De Cordova Bend attracts wildlife, with reviewers noting numerous deer sightings throughout the evening. The ten-day maximum stay limit at De Cordova allows for extended camping trips without overcrowding. The area offers fishing, swimming, and hiking opportunities, with a trail leading to the bottom of the dam. A camper wrote, "Quiet, lots of wildlife, has boat ramp and dock as well as large shelter house with BBQ for days use by larger groups."

Best Tent Sites Near Whitney, Texas (7)

Show More
Showing results 1-7 of 7 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Recent Tent Camping Photos near Whitney, TX

3 Photos of 7 Whitney Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Whitney, TX

507 Reviews of 7 Whitney Campgrounds


  • Napunani
    Nov. 18, 2021

    Oak Park Campground

    Landscape Timber at Fire Ring Created Trip Hazard

    Reserved on-line 184 days prior to arrival. 

    Pros Site in large oak tree grove, so heavily shaded 

    Campground night sky friendly with good dark sky viewing NO STREET LIGHTS in campground., but toilet facilities had exterior lighting 

    Crushed granite surrounding site and bordered with landscaping timbers 

    Metal roof shelter over concrete slab where picnic table is located 

    Metal picnic table 

    Cooking grill on metal fire ring 

    Campground mostly quiet except for Hwy 31 traffic noise 

    Friendly camp host 

    Security gate closed nightly 

    Not charged a fee to make my own on-line reservation 

    Campsite discount with America the Beautiful Pass 

    Cons 

    Entrance gate not manned upon arrival at 2pm Tuesday so had to go back around after unhitched 

    Our site 14 was not marked. Most sites have site number on site picnic table. Even those are tough to see in the daylight and impossible to see in darkness. Absolutely no roadside site number posts 

    Campsite 14 entrance driveway was 90 degree angle to park road with a steep ditch on opposite side of road. T

    rees close on both sides tight to site 14 driveway. Made back in challenging, but not impossible. 

    Campsite 14 entrance/driveway 10% grade from park road 

    Campsite 14 not level side to side 

    Site fire ring was up against landscaping timber preventing space for chairs 

    Landscaping timbers trip hazard at fire ring

    Fire ring should be relocated to side or back of site to facilitate safe movement around it Fire ring was completely filled with ash upon arrival No privacy from other campsites Shower/toilet facility near playground had padlock on mens entrance, so males were using the womens restroom. This facility in extremely poor condition and desperately needs renovation. 

    No campsite lantern pole 

    No park Wifi 2

     bars AT&T 

    Never saw any park rangers or park security driving through campground 

    Wildlife sightings of grey squirrels and two dozen buzzards that constantly circled over campground

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 30, 2019

    Dinosaur Valley State Park Campground

    Family camping

    Nice camping spot for families. I chose to camp in the north primitive hike-in sites across the river. It was pretty hot but I still had a good time exploring the hiking trails. If you go hiking, take a map and of course extra water. My map came in handy a couple of times as I was hiking as the actual trails led me off track a few times.

    I stayed in the primitive camping area. You hike between 1-2.5 miles across the river to sites. If the river is too high these sites may be closed. Water is only available at the trailhead. These sites are primitive so they do not have showers, restrooms, picnic tables or water.

    Other sites available:

    • Campsites with electricity (Picnic tables, water hookup, electric, fire ring)
    • Walk-in campsites (Fire ring, lantern post)
    • Group camp (fire ring, water nearby, three picnic tables)
  • Heather P.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2018

    Meridian State Park Campground

    beautiful lake views

    We camped at site 31 which is a primitive tent only site. The sites are HUGE!!! tons of space between you and the next site. Sites are level and easy to find a spot to pitch your tent.

    Set up a camp chair, bust out your fishing gear and kick back and relax while watching the amazing sunset over Lake Meridian.

  • Napunani
    Dec. 13, 2022

    COE Navarro Mills Reservoir Oak Park

    Clean-up on Site #11

    Pros 

    Discount with National Park pass 

    Shady

    Quiet 

    Dark sky friendly

    Nice metal roof cover over concrete picnic table 

    Saw park ranger drive thru during daylight 

    2 bars T-MOBILE 

    Successful streaming with T-MOBILE hotspot device 

    Cons 

    So day #2 without any TP in men’s restroom.  Went to front gate to report it and was told they would call it into the Army Corps of Engineers as gate volunteers have no stock of TP on hand.  Never saw any TP before leaving on third day

    Toilet facility #1 women’s had raw sewage throughout deep enough to cover your foot. Site 11 has electrical hook up at rear on the door side of the camper 

    Site 11 water connection is centered at the rear of the parking pad. 

    Site 11 unlevel. 

    Numerous piles of charcoal ash throughout site 11 campsite not in the fire pit. 

    Concrete picnic table needs degreased as surface has lots of large greasy stain 

    Site numbers are painted on the concrete picnic table so extremely difficult to see in the dark. 

    No WIFI

  • Napunani
    Apr. 19, 2022

    Airport Park - Waco Lake

    Lots of Aircraft Noise - Bring Ear Plugs!

    Pros 

    Not charged a fee to make my own on-line reservation 

    Friendly gate attendant 

    Level asphalt site surrounded by crushed granite 

    Grass neatly mowed throughout campground 

    Large aluminum picnic table that is moveable from site concrete pad

    BBQ grill, metal fire pit and lantern pole 

    Night sky friendly. No street lights 

    Spacious-space between each site but no privacy due to lack of vegetation 

    Very quiet Sunday thru Wednesday nights except for Waco airport aircraft approach and Space X rocket testing 

    Entrance gate locked 10pm-6am. Exit only permitted 

    Clean toilets and showers 

    Plenty of TP in restrooms 

    Trash can in toilet/shower facility 

    Sufficient trash dumpsters throughout park 

    Deer sightings at Park entrance only 

    2 LTE Verizon bars signal 

    Cons 

    Exterior restroom doors desperately need repaired. Have to move rock away from door to gain access. 

    Sewer connection at rear of parking pad. Bring the looooong stinky slinky! 

    Waco airport aircraft departing/arriving as early as 6am and as late as 11pm. One night we counted aircraft performing touch and go manuvers 42 times. Approach was directly over our campsite. 

    No patrolling host or ranger 

    No soap or hand towels in toilet facility 

    No playground, basketball or tennis or volleyball courts 

    No lake swimming area 

    No park WIFI 

    No hiking trails

  • Napunani
    Mar. 24, 2021

    Airport Park - Waco Lake

    Filthy women’s restroom

    This park is a short drive to all of Waco attractions including the famous Silos. We stayed Friday and Saturday nights. 

    Pros:

    • Very friendly gate attendant

    • Extremely quiet park except for arriving/departing aircraft at Waco Regional Airport

    • Great view of the lake as trees/shrubs are minimal

    • Clean campsite

    • Very clean campfire pit

    • Most sites had a nice distance from neighbor sites

    • Crushed granite surrounds the site’s asphalt parking pad so no muddy mess after rain

    • Pedestal BBQ grill, fire pit with grilling grate and aluminum picnic table at each site

    • Some sites had aluminum roof pavilion over picnic table

    • Some sites had lantern pole

    • Park roadways in good condition

    • Entrance gate locked at 10pm

    • Plenty of TP in women’s restroom

    • 4 bar signal AT&T 

    Cons:

    • Filthy women’s restroom. Human feces on floor. Two of the three stalls locked for days. One remaining stall the door would not close and latch. Sign posted on door that restrooms were cleaned Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, but the human feces were on the floor Friday night, Saturday all day and Sunday morning. Exterior door would not close completely.

    • No water to sinks in women’s restroom

    • No soap dispenser and no hand dryer in women’s restroom

    • Men’s restroom door locked Friday, Saturday and Sunday morning

    • Exterior door to one shower room was unable to be closed

    • Extremely low water pressure to campsite

    • No site privacy due to minimal trees/brush throughout the park

    • Low hanging tree branches over roadway and campsite pad

    • Our campsite pedestal BBQ grill was extremely corroded

    • No wildlife sightings- not even a squirrel

    • NOT A DARK SKY FRIENDLY CAMPGROUND! Boat launch lights across the cove lit up most of the campground. Large lights on the toilet/shower building that made it nearly as bright as daylight!

  • T
    Oct. 19, 2018

    Lake Whitney State Park Campground

    Come Hell or High Water We Are Camping

    We had limited weekends to take the grandkids camping. It has been raining non stop all over Texas. I began to look for places within 2 hours of Fort Worth. Texas State Parks are a great. I settled on Lake Whitney. They have these shelter sites that are awesome. For $30 per night ($10 per night more than normal e&w site) plus $5 per adult gate fee. That may not be economical for everyone, but $40 for an overnight camp was fine. The shelters are very clean and well kept. Inside is a picnic table and enough floor space for another plus some. So if your tent fails in you go. The top of walls are screened and bottom solid. I set up my camp kitchen and we ate meals inside due to weather. We set up our large tent behind the shelter to block wind from the lake. The site also had it's own parking, another table outside and fire ring. We had site 4 right across from the lake and swimming area. The bath house was very clean and only a short walk. You can fish license free from the shore. There are 5 or 6 moderate hiking trails. Also the park is home to plenty of woodland animals. The 4 yo and I took a 2 am bathroom break and saw a herd of dear about 30 head.

    The park is very good for families and fishing.

    There are also a boat ramp, small airstrip and day use areas.

    The staff is awesome.

  • Napunani
    Jun. 9, 2023

    Mother Neff State Park Campground

    Texas First State Park

    PROS 

    Saved $24.50 with Texas State Park Pass 

    No fee charged for making on-line reservations 

    Got a call the morning of arrival from park headquarters confirming my arrival 

    Site 3 was immaculate upon arrival, even the crushed gravel raked. 

    Site 3 level 

    Site 3 has aluminum picnic table, metal firepit with cooking grate and 2 hook lantern pole all in good condition 

    Site 3 afternoon shade 

    Campground loop toilet/shower facility immaculate 

    30 minute drive to Waco attractions

    2 bar T MOBILE 

    CONS 

    20 total campsites but 2 are used for camp hosts 

    Picnic table chained to ground so not moveable and it was 30 ft from camper 

    Lots of road noise from TX236 

    One toilet/shower facility for the entire park for both day users and 20 campsites 

    Men’s toilet had urinal and toilets out of service during our 3 night stay 

    Toilet/shower facility not climate controlled 

    Lots of feral cats throughout campground 

    No fire wood for sale in park 

    No WIFI

  • Sean B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2025

    Cedar Creek Park Campground

    Beautiful clean and free

    Only a small amount of campsites, big open fields and mature oak tree shade. Water at most and firerings are provided next to covered picnic tables. Quiet, lots of wildlife, has boat ramp and dock as well as large shelter house with bbq for days use by larger groups. First come first served and free. No showers and only a vault toilet.


Guide to Whitney

Tent camping near Whitney, Texas offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the great outdoors. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for a memorable camping experience.

Tips for tent camping near Whitney

  • Cedar Creek Park Campground is known for its cleanliness, making it a great choice for families looking for a relaxed weekend getaway.
  • De Cordova Bend provides a free camping experience with a maximum stay of 10 days, perfect for those wanting to extend their outdoor adventure.
  • Iron Bridge offers a secluded environment along the Leon River, ideal for campers who appreciate a more rugged experience.

Tent campers appreciate these amenities

  • At Cedar Creek Park Campground, you can enjoy amenities like picnic tables and trash disposal, ensuring a comfortable stay.
  • De Cordova Bend features several picnic tables and a public boat ramp, making it easy to enjoy water activities during your visit.
  • Northside RV Resort provides clean facilities, including bathrooms and showers, along with a secure environment for a worry-free camping experience.

Some prices for tent camping range from $0 to $50

  • Cedar Creek Park Campground is a well-reviewed option that allows fires and pets, making it a family-friendly choice without any fees.
  • De Cordova Bend offers free camping, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious campers looking for a peaceful retreat.
  • Iron Bridge has no admission fees, allowing you to enjoy fishing and hiking without breaking the bank.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Whitney, TX?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Whitney, TX is Cedar Creek Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Whitney, TX?

TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Whitney, TX, with real photos and reviews from campers.